Storm chaser

Tony Vidlak Sr. · Jun 9, 2009

This creature was at the Comfort Suite in C.B.Iowa this past weekend.These guys built this in there garage.They are from Calif.This machine is built on a 1 ton Dodge truck chassis.Its all fabricated out of 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick iron and 3/4 inch plexiglass for windows.When they are in a storm the side skirts go to the ground to protect the tires and direct the wind away to try to keep the truck from flipping over it also has hydraulic driven spikes that sink into the ground to stabalize it.Its also full of all kinds of electronic and computer equipment.Hope you all enjoy the pictures.

Coloken · Jun 9, 2009

They are about 500 miles too far East. Had at least 4 yesterday (Denver) and all ready 1 or 2 in Colorado today.

RayP(MI) · Jun 9, 2009

Storm chaser from here in west Michigan has a similar vehicle built over a Chevy SUV - Trail Blazer if I remember right. Can drop to the ground and prevent wind from lifting it. Must be quite a load for the vehicle's suspension.

Anonymous-0 · Jun 9, 2009

What does it do ? Just what exactly is that machine good for ? Is chasing storms something you can get paid for ?

KEB1 · Jun 9, 2009

This one, or something similar, has been on Discovery channel a few times. The guy's an IMAX filmmaker who sells closeup footage of storms. The idea is to drive into a tornado's path & then film the storm as it passes over.

They also cooperate with one of the universities here in Colorado to study tornado formation and wind patterns close to the ground.

From what I've been able to glean, unless you're associated with a university or other research organization, storm chasing is mostly a hobby. You may make a little money selling video, but I can't imagine making a living at it.

Keith

Anonymous-0 · Jun 10, 2009

Kieth, when I was a young man I flew Piper Twin Comanchies in North Dakota, California and Greece doing weather modification. I can say, with some confidence, the way to chase storms is in an aircraft. You can fly in 3D. Radars on board and on ground help a lot. On ground storm chasers have to follow roads that mostly go north-south and east-west, and stop for red lights ect. Storms almost never follow that pattern. That machine seems built for movies not research. Not withstanding, if that machine gets in the way of a Great Plains tornado, it aint got a chance.

Scott

arm bar · Jun 10, 2009

They call it a TIV or tornado intercept vehicle. He has another one built out of a Ford F450 that's been in several tornados. Part of his entourage is a DOW truck or doppler on wheels to guide them into the path of tornadic supercells and monitor the strength of the tornado cause they don't want to get in the path of a EF4 or EF5 tornado.

Storm chaser

Tony Vidlak Sr.

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Coloken

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RayP(MI)

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Anonymous-0

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KEB1

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Anonymous-0

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arm bar

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